2011 Skouras "Zoe" Rosé (Greece): Moderately dark color with some raspberry, black cherry flavors. Very soft, juicy finish. Would have like to see a little more structure or zip, but this is nore than acceptable. $11.99

2011 Tres Ojos Rosado (Calatayud, Spain): VERY, VERY dark in color. 50/50 Garnacha/Tempranillo blend. Extremely fruity, and gulpable with raspberry, strawberry, and electric-cherry-kool aid flavors. A big boy at 14.5% alc. Did I mention that this was dark in color? $6.99

2011 Zinc Rosé (Vin de Pays d'Oc): Comes in a 1 liter bottle (oh yeah!). Very light salmon color, very nice flavors with no dryness or austerity. This would be a great choice for a pop-and-pour at a party. Not life changing but you could drink this all day and not tire of it. $7.99

Mark Lipton wrote:As can be found in the Goodbye Ryan thread, I recently opened a bottle of the 2010 Baudry Chinon Rosé which was, as usual, drop dead gorgeous: less fruity now than a year ago, but still quite lively with great mineral and herbal notes and a delightful lightness. At its price point, I can't think of a finer rosé.

Even at other price points, does rosé get much better than Baudry's?

Have you tried the 2011 yet Mark?

That probably depends on outlook, Salil. Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia Rosado is a very different, but very appealing, wine. Tempier Rosé is also fantastic, but it's been years since I've tasted some.... because of pricing. And, no, haven't tried the '11 yet and probably won't until the Fall shipping season rolls around.

Tavel Les Vallognes 2011 - SCA Jean Olivier, Aquéria - Alc.14% - (c.€10), made from Grenache and Syrah.Tavel used to have the reputation of being France's most serious rosé but amongst the Mediterranean appellations its reputation has been overtaken in recent decades by pinks from Bandol, Palette and the best estates in Côtes de Provence, Languedoc and Roussillon.

This was a lot more enjoyable than the surprisingly inexpressive Ch.Simone Palette which I wrote about a week or so ago. Colour was the usual Tavel ruby, quite different from the Provençal salmon. Body was fuller and there was more generosity and structure than with most pinks and there was plenty of perfumed red fruit, which just stopped short of the boiled sweet taste which disfigures a lot of Mediterrean pink, together with sufficient freshness and acidity to make the bottle dangerously easy to finish in spite of the high alcohol; 15.5/20.

(This producer also makes the better know Château d'Aquéria. Is it a different wine or the same wine masquerading under a different label for sale through supermarkets? Does anyone here know? I don't find it inferior to my memories of bottles with the Ch. d'Aquéria label.)

2007 ALEXANDER VALLEY VINEYARDS ROSE' OF SANGIOVESE, SONOMA COUNTY, CA. Wetzel Family Estate. 13.5 alcohol. Screwcap. Pinkish-coral color. Pomegranate and berries on the nose and palate (or perhaps watermelon as the label suggests.) Surprisingly fresh and young. I had forgotten about this rose' and was relieved to find it still very drinkable and pleasant. Good with fried chicken. I would give it 87 or 88 points as a very good rose'.

2011 Castel Rose – Score: A-The wine is unique a real nice kosher rose that has more than just strawberry and nice fruit. This wine has complexity and concentration that belies it obvious youth. Clearly not a wine for cellaring but one that should be fine for a year or two, which is saying something for a kosher rose. The nose starts off with rich mineral, heavy attack of citrus, strawberry, raspberry, and nice cherry. The mouth is filling with good mineral, slate, bramble, and ripe red fruit.

Prieto Picudo is the grape, and it is one of those local rarities that had almost vanished. This is a rather dark colored salmon with maybe some magenta hints. It is quite fragrant, with lots of floral and grassy notes (not unlike some reds I've had from this grape). Quite full bodied for a rose, with strawberry and pomegranate fruit and a hint of tar. Almost tannic, but well balanced. Very good, had a synthetic cork. $14.

2011 Arnot-Roberts Touriga Nacional Rosé Luchsinger VineyardLiterally my first word on tasting this was WOW! What a great blend of berry and tropical fruit tones. There's great balance as well, with the wine drinking so easily I thought it was evaporating in the glass. Amazingly refreshing and really just fabulous. This is my favorite Rosé, eclipsing even the vaunted Baudry.

Talk less, smile more. Don't let them know what you're against or what you're for.

David M. Bueker wrote:2011 Arnot-Roberts Touriga Nacional Rosé Luchsinger VineyardLiterally my first word on tasting this was WOW! What a great blend of berry and tropical fruit tones. There's great balance as well, with the wine drinking so easily I thought it was evaporating in the glass. Amazingly refreshing and really just fabulous. This is my favorite Rosé, eclipsing even the vaunted Baudry.

2009 Ferraton Pere et Fils Tavel rose' "Les Lauses." 13% alcohol. Deep coral color with transparency. Red berries, subtle herbs, a little bland. Probably not a great wine to begin with and no longer as fresh and young. I have one more bottle that I will open this summer. IMO inferior to the 2010 Tavel Les Vignes des Precheurs Rose' that I had previously. I did find it "acceptable" and even found a hint of rose petals on the third evening.

Bob Parsons, I have two bottles of the 2011 vintage of the Cabernet de Saumur (from 100% Cabernet Franc). You posted on the 2010 vintage. I am saving them for a tasting scheduled for July 21st so haven't tried one yet.

Bright cherry red in the glass. A bit darker than I am accustomed to seeing in a rose.Cheesy, spicy on the nose.Medium weight, cheesy, apple, raspberry, cherry, good acidity, clean and refreshing, juicy, with a bitter bite.Rather bitter on the finish.Weighing in at 14 abv, which, to my mind, is rather high.Purchased at $15.95 (Canadian).

Bandol (rosé) 2011 – Domaine La Suffrène – Alc.14% - (c.€10), a blend of Mourvèdre (40 %), Cinsault (30 %), Grenache (20 %) and of Carignan (10 %). In August 2010 I drank the 2009 and enjoyed it a lot. There were, of course, strong similarities between the two but I think that this was slightly inferior. Colour was the typically Provençal very pale pink with a salmon tinge and the nose was discreet but had pleasant notes of red fruit with an agreeable tang. The palate was much more structured and body fuller (medium+) than with 95% of pinks and was graced with nice red fruit (some strawberry) with a sweet touch which I didn't note on the 2009, touches of liqueur and slight rose aromas; the finish was quite firm and a trace of alcoholic warmth gave extra support. However, as the wine warmed up during the sticky warm evening, I was slightly disturbed by a dusty old book touch which I like in old wines but seems inappropriate in a one year old; 15/20+.

Last edited by Tim York on Fri Jun 29, 2012 11:18 am, edited 1 time in total.

Bright cherry red in the glass. A bit darker than I am accustomed to seeing in a rose.Cheesy, spicy on the nose.Medium weight, cheesy, apple, raspberry, cherry, good acidity, clean and refreshing, juicy, with a bitter bite.Rather bitter on the finish.Weighing in at 14 abv, which, to my mind, is rather high.Purchased at $15.95 (Canadian).

Bruce, I've just read an article in the RVF saying that the darker than usual cherry colour, which you note here and I noted in another Tavel, used also to be the norm in Bandol. Nowadays Bandol has been seduced by Provençal paleness to the extent that wines showing the historically traditional darker colour get refused the appellation on grounds of non-typicity!!

I once asked an Aussie wine-maker why his rosé was so much darker and more ruby than those in Provence and he replied with typical Oz arrogance "I can get that colour too by committing several wine-making errors" . In fact, errors or not, the Provençaux go to a lot of trouble to obtain the pale salmon pink.

Just arrived in time for this months Focus wind-up. Could be some bottle shock here but Lancyre always delivers!Light salmon pink color, cherry and roses on the nose which is rather light. Lovely palate feel with tart features plus berry fruits. "Watermelon and strawberries" from across the table, adding " this wine always delivers eh".

***** Tim your Domaine La Suffrène shows up here from time to time at one of the original privatized wine stores.

I've been promised a taste next Tuesday of a legendary pink rarity, le Rosé des Riceys http://www.wineterroirs.com/2009/11/ros ... iceys.html made from Pinot Noir grapes in the Aube part of the Champagne region. I don't think I have ever seen a bottle of this on sale so I am quite excited about it.

Tim York wrote:I've been promised a taste next Tuesday of a legendary pink rarity, le Rosé des Riceys http://www.wineterroirs.com/2009/11/ros ... iceys.html made from Pinot Noir grapes in the Aube part of the Champagne region. I don't think I have ever seen a bottle of this on sale so I am quite excited about it.

And here it is.

Rosé des Riceys 2009 - EARL Champagne René Bauser - Alc.12% http://www.champagne-bauser.com/bauser-uk/f-intro.aspEver since I read a lyrical article about this rare still rosé in the 1970 edition on the Larousse des Vins, I have been longing to taste it and at last I got an opportunity at dinner at friends' home where it was served with savoury starters in the garden.

This rosé has a distinctly original personality. Colour was beautifully transparent and an exceptionally deep ruby, certainly as dark as a lot of "red" Alsatian pinot noir. The nose was rather shy at first but savoury fruit with sour cherry touches and minerals emerged with swirling. The palate was medium bodied and quite long with racy tangy fruit, lively acidity and with more complexity, underlying roundness and tannic structure than is common in pinks. This has class and is very different from from the sweeter fruited and more alcoholic pinks from near the Med and has enough substance to be a good pairing with white meat dishes and poultry. It had enough subtlety not to suffer IMO from warming towards ambient temperature during the summer evening. Well worth over a half a lifetime's wait; 16/20++.